The Rev. Doug Brown of Asbury Park Community Church, who served meals from his porch after Sandy, stands on the porch where he served meals after superstorm Sandy / Tanya Breen/Staff photographer

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@NTerryAPP

» The Rev. Doug Brown served hot meals to nearly 250 people from his front porch during the widespread power outages after superstorm Sandy. » Brown is working with a local nonprofit to expand a food pantry he is running out of his Monroe Avenue house. » 29.4 percent of city residents were living below the poverty level from 2006-2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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ASBURY PARK — When Superstorm Sandy knocked out power to the Rev. Doug Brown’s Monroe Avenue neighborhood, he lit his gas stove, cooked all the food in his freezer and shared it with his neighbors.

It seemed like a simple gesture at first, he said. But the families lined up at his porch every day, mirrored a greater issue facing the community.

“It was exciting and felt good, but I thought, ‘What’s happening here?’ ” said Brown, who runs Asbury Park Community Church out of his house. “People are literally living on the cliff of hunger and poverty.”

Brown said he served about 250 people the week of the storm. Many residents could only afford to stock their cabinets with one or two days’ worth of food, he said. Power was out for five days on his street.

And with area grocery stores and restaurants closed, hot meals were hard to come by.

So Brown decided to start a makeshift food pantry in his house. He put a call out on Facebook and since then, donations have been rolling in. The pastor has collected everything from soup, peanut butter and crackers to baby food.

Word spread fast in the Asbury Park community and residents are knocking at Brown’s door everyday asking for food, he said. “I want people to know that this is a safe place to come to.”

But Brown’s vision for the food pantry goes beyond his front doorstep.

He has partnered with Laura Henry, founder of Just Becuz Non-Profit Group, to find a permanent location to stock and distribute nonperishables and to serve hot meals. Brown said he would also like to house donated business attire for community members seeking jobs.

Henry, a lifelong city resident, said she was on board when she learned Brown was filling a void in the community.

“There are people here with no income,” Henry said. “They have no way to provide for themselves.”

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 29.4 percent of city residents were living below poverty level from 2006-2010.

Henry’s organization provides basic necessities such as clothing and career guidance for youth.

Brown and Henry said they believe that together, they can build stronger neighborhoods in Asbury Park.

“It’s about taking this neighborhood away from the negativity,” Brown said. “And giving people their dignity back.”